Senior Software Engineer Mock Technical Interview (Coding/Algorithms in JavaScript)
DonTheDeveloper・43 minutes read
Sophie, CEO of Formation, conducted a mock interview with Dan, senior engineer at Coinbase, discussing his career history and technical skills, focusing on optimizing code efficiency and complexity while emphasizing the importance of JavaScript fluency. The interview highlighted the need for strong technical candidates able to navigate challenging moments and explore diverse solutions beyond familiar tools, with feedback centered on positive framing and communication clarity for expected solution approaches.
Insights
- Dan's career transition from Glassdoor to Coinbase was motivated by the misalignment of the codebase with his productivity goals, showcasing the importance of a conducive work environment in retaining top talent.
- The mock interview highlighted the significance of technical proficiency, problem-solving skills, and positive communication in the software engineering field, underlining the essential qualities sought after by top companies like Google and Lyft.
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Recent questions
How does Formation help software engineers?
By preparing them for senior-level technical interviews.
What was the coding exercise about?
Involving a dictionary of words and functions setup and isIndict.
What was Dan's motivation for leaving Glassdoor?
Codebase not aligning with productivity goals.
How did Dan optimize the isIndict function?
By using a set and converting an array into an object.
What feedback was provided during the mock interview?
Advice on framing explanations positively and exploring various solutions.
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Summary
00:00
"Senior Engineer Mock Interview with Formation CEO"
- Hosted a mock interview for senior-level software engineers with Sophie, CEO of Formation, who helps engineers transition to senior roles at companies like Google and Lyft.
- Invited Dan, a senior engineer at Coinbase, as the interviewee for the senior-level technical interview.
- Dan works on the growth team at Coinbase, focusing on user engagement through the React Native app and web development.
- Transitioned to discussing Dan's career history, including his time at Coinbase, an education startup, Glassdoor, and Albert.
- Dan's motivation for leaving Glassdoor was due to the codebase not aligning with his productivity goals, leading him to join Coinbase.
- Introduced a coding exercise involving a dictionary of words and two functions: setup and isIndict to check if a word is in the dictionary.
- Dan opted to create a class called Dictionary to store the words and used a set to optimize the isIndict function.
- Modified the problem to include wildcard characters in words, leading to the use of regex for matching.
- Explored the runtime and space complexity of the constructor and isIndict functions, acknowledging the uncertainty regarding regex time complexity.
- Discussed the goal of optimizing the setup function to enhance the efficiency of the isIndict function.
20:51
Optimizing isIndict function with wildcards
- Shifting work into the constructor to optimize for the isIndict function.
- Converting an array into an object with keys and values being the same.
- Checking if a word exists in the dictionary using the object.
- Iterating through keys to match words if the word doesn't exist.
- Reducing an array into an object to optimize runtime.
- Iterating through the array once in the constructor instead of multiple times in isIndict.
- Checking if a word has wildcards and if it's in the dictionary.
- Complexity of isIndict function varies based on arguments.
- Representing words as trees to potentially achieve O(n) time.
- Exploring ways to optimize and simplify the algorithm for multiple wildcards.
47:44
Sophie's Formation: Preparing for Top Tech Interviews
- The interviewee was quick in implementing records, showcasing familiarity with syntax.
- The interviewee used a text editor extensively and discussed a solution involving regex.
- The interviewee highlighted the importance of fluency in JavaScript during the coding portion.
- Feedback included advice on framing explanations positively and aligning on approaches before coding.
- The interviewee navigated a challenging moment in the interview well, emphasizing the importance of handling confusion positively.
- The interviewer emphasized the need for exploring various solutions beyond familiar tools.
- The interview focused on fundamental understanding and collaboration, indicating a preference for technically strong candidates.
- The interviewee found the problem engaging and challenging, appreciating the collaborative format.
- The interviewee suggested clearer communication on the expected solution approach.
- Formation, led by Sophie, assists early software engineers in preparing for mid to senior-level technical interviews, especially for top companies like Google and Lyft.
01:03:40
"Feedback on Mock Interviews and Upcoming Podcast"
- Encourages viewers to leave comments for feedback on mock interviews
- Requests feedback on desire for more mock interviews in the future
- Thanks viewers for watching and hints at upcoming podcast episode
